Category: Health Industry

Dental and Doctors’ Offices Still Struggling with COVID Job Loss

Newly released employment data underscores the lingering toll the pandemic has taken on a range of outpatient services in California and across the U.S., from pediatric and family medical practices to dental offices, medical labs and home health care.

The Color of COVID: Will Vaccine Trials Reflect America’s Diversity?

Although racial minorities, older people and those with underlying medical conditions are most at risk from COVID-19, they’ve historically been the least likely to be included in clinical trials for treatments for serious diseases. Will that change with COVID-19?

Ever Heard of a Surgical Assistant? Meet a New Boost to Your Medical Bills

A college student’s bill for outpatient knee surgery is a whopper — $96K — but the most mysterious part is a $1,167 charge from a health care provider she didn’t even know was in the operating room.

Another Problem on the Health Horizon: Medicare Is Running Out of Money

With millions out of work because of the coronavirus pandemic, fewer payroll taxes are coming in to help keep Medicare’s trust fund intact.

For COVID Tests, the Question of Who Pays Comes Down to Interpretation

Additional guidance issued late last month by the Trump administration added to the confusion. Some consumers may find themselves unexpectedly on the hook for the cost of a test.

Must-Reads of the Week

KHN’s Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber drills through the vital health care policy stories of the week, so you don’t have to.

States Allow In-Person Nursing Home Visits As Families Charge Residents Die ‘Of Broken Hearts’

Half the states are rolling back strict policies that have kept family members out of nursing homes because of fears of spreading the coronavirus.

Must-Reads Of The Week

KHN executive editor Damon Darlin wades through mounds of health care policy stories — so you don’t have to.

KHN’s ‘What The Health?’: ‘Open The Schools, Close The Bars’

Can’t see the audio player? Click here to listen on SoundCloud. How to safely open the nation’s schools this fall has become the latest spat in attempting to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence have decried the guidelines issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as too […]

As COVID Testing Soars, Wait Times For Results Jump To A Week — Or More

The delays can be excruciating, with some extreme cases running more than 20 days. People getting tested at urgent care centers, community health centers, pharmacies and state-run drive-thru or walk-up sites are often waiting a week or more to find out if they tested positive for the coronavirus.